


Quarter Past Four

by Pufalup



Series: Klance Shorts [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Keith has a nice voice, Lance has a crush on Keith but doesn't know it yet, M/M, Nightmares, Platonic Cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 09:36:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18466291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pufalup/pseuds/Pufalup
Summary: For a while now, Lance has dreamed of Keith's death. On one particularly bad night, the urge to make sure Keith is okay drags him out of bed to Keith's room.





	Quarter Past Four

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is based on a song called "Quarter Past Four", it's really pretty and calming so I thought I'd do something on it. Happy reading!

Haggar’s eyes cut an eerie yellow glow through the murky darkness. Wisps of white hair fall across Keith’s heaving chest. Haggar raises a clawed hand and electricity crackles.

“Keith!” Lance screams. His legs won’t move forward. Lance struggles against the thick air.

A bolt of lightning curls around Haggar’s fingers, illuminating the blue-violet of Keith’s terrified eyes. 

Lance watches, helpless, as Haggar brings her hand down onto Keith’s chest. The energy ripples across Keith’s chest as his back arches up and he lets out a scream. The sound rips from his throat, ringing in Lance’s ears. 

“ _ No! _ ” Lance shouts. He strains against the invisible bonds across his body, writhing in their grasp. “Don’t touch him!” 

Haggar smiles, her lip curling. The light of the energy drags across her pale face. “You cannot save him,” She hisses.

The scream dies in Keith’s throat and his eyes flutter shut. His whole body shudders, before slumping down onto the ground, lifeless.

“ _ Keith!”  _ Lance screams his name, struggling harder. “Keith, get up!” He begs. He feels tear tracks running down his cheeks.

“Silly boy, he is already dead.” Haggar sneers. “Now it’s your turn.”

Lance screams as she stalks towards him, energy bolts alight in her hands. She cackles maniacally, raising her open hand to slash down Lance’s chest.

  
  


Lance’s eyes shoot open as he sits up in bed, sending the small mattress creaking. The echoes of his nightmare cling to his sweat-soaked skin and he breathes hard.  _ It was just a dream. _

Lance struggles to slow his frantic heartbeat.  _ Just a dream, just a dream,  _ he repeats to himself, over and over.  _ Keith is alive. _

Lance flops back down onto his bed, but he can’t find a comfortable position. This is the third night in a row that he dreamed of Keith’s death, and this nightmare was by far the worst.The image of Keith-- lying unconscious, his armor from the Blade of Marmora stained with blood-- appears in his mind as soon as he closes his eyes. He has to know.

_ Don’t be ridiculous,  _ He scolds himself.  _ Keith is just fine. He’s sleeping in his bed, like you should be.  _

But he can’t help it.

Lance slips out of bed and into the hallway, where the lights are dimmed for the night. The cold blue glow swirls in the white Altean metal of the ships corridors. Lance's bare feet make no noise on the floor, the gentle hum of the engine the only noise.

Lance breaks into a run as he nears Keith’s room on the other side of the castle. He skids to a halt in front of his door, rethinking whether or not to knock. It’s probably past midnight, and Lance shouldn't wake him.

He's about to turn to leave, but in the end, the pull to see Keith wins over. He knocks twice.

Inside the room, Lance hears the rustle of fabric, and the soft thrum of footsteps.

Keith opens the door, eyes pinched in irritation. “Lance, what are you doing here?”

Lance wants to cry with relief.  _ Keith is alive,  _ he thinks to himself. He can’t help it, he surges forward and wraps his arms around Keith’s shoulders.

“Woah, Lance, you okay?” Keith asks uncertainty. His hands come to rest awkwardly across Lance’s hips.

“Had a nightmare,” Lance mumbles into the soft fabric of Keith’s red pajamas. They smell like him.

Keith hums. “Nightmares are the worst,” He says sympathetically. Lance gives a small nod, burrowing his nose deeper into Keith’s shoulder. 

Keith maneuvers him inside the door and sits on his bed, Lance still clinging to him. Keith reaches up and pets his hair soothingly, and Lance shivers. 

His calloused fingers work in small circles across Lance’s scalp, tugging along the tangled strands. The pressure points send pleasure tingling down Lance's spine, and he fights the urge to moan out loud. “Do you want to talk about it?” Keith asks softly.

Lance shakes his head.

“Okay,” Keith says. His hands move steadily through Lance’s hair for a moment, before he pauses again. “Do you want to sleep in my room for the rest of the night?”

Lance considers it, before nodding quickly. Keith laughs. “Okay, come on.” He says. Lance let's go for a second, and immediately misses the contact when it’s gone.

Then Keith crawls into bed with him and he thinks,  _ no, this is much better.  _

Keith pulls Lance closer, a strong arm  coming to rest across Lance’s shoulders. Lance snuggles up tighter, silently thanking Keith.

Lance can hear Keith’s heartbeat in his chest, steady and calming.  _ He’s alive,  _ he tells himself.  _ He’s alive.  _

“Y’know,” Keith says quietly. “When I was younger and I had nightmares, there was this one song that my dad used to always sing to me.”

Lance looks up at him. “Can you sing it to me?” He says.

Keith’s eyes meet his, corners tilting up in a smile. “Sure.” He clears his throat, and begins to sing.

“ _It’s a quarter past four and I’m feeling alright_

_“How I’d love to close my eyes, but I can never rest my mind_ ”

Lance watches quietly. Keith’s eyes are closed and his voice is gruff with sleep, but he looks so relaxed, so open. For once, his walls are let down, and he’s putting his emotions on display. Lance watches the soft curve of his jawline and the pointed tip of his nose. He watches the fluttering of Keith's eyelashes and the bob of his throat. As he takes in the sight of Keith, open and vulnerable, he realizes just how beautiful Keith really is.

“ _Thinking where I’m going to and where I’ve been,_ ” Keith sings softly.

“ _While a thousand other worries are floating in the wind._

“ _And I can’t_

“ _Keep them all away,_

“ _But it turns out fine,_

“ _Turns out fine_

“ _And I can’t_

“ _Keep them all away,_

“ _But it turns out fine,_

“ _Turns out fine_

Keith’s eyes open a fraction. He looks forward, but when his eyes flicker down to Lance’s, he smiles softly.

“ _Never really thought I’d get to see this day_

“ _When my heart is in the future,_

“ _And my body rides the wave_

“ _Thankful everyday I get to rise again,_

“ _As my eyes start to open,_

“ _And sunlight warms my skin_

“ _And I have_

“ _Troubles everyday_

“ _But it turns out fine,_

“ _Turns out fine,_

“ _And I fight,_

“ _To keep them all away_

“ _But it turns out fine_

“ _Turns out fine_ ”

Keith hums for a moment, his voice climbing and falling across the notes. He hits each one almost perfectly, and Lance can feel the vibrations through his chest. Keith pulls the comforter higher over Lance. “Go to sleep,” He whispers.

Lance’s eyelids drift shut, and the last thing he sees is Keith’s fond smile and the open emotion on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think! Kudos are always appreciated! :)


End file.
